A Christmas Present
by Dymphna Karpovna
Summary: The beauty and magnificence of Cair Paravel does not quite warm Lucy's heart this year.


**A/N This was originally written for the Narnian Holiday Contest (my prompt was 'family') but I'm a day late in finishing it... Oh well. Hope you enjoy it anyways! :-)**

The preparations began. This was going to be their second Christmas in Narnia. Susan, who had quite the eye for beauty, took charge and began organising the event. Holly and ivy started to appear in the corridors and mistletoe was mischieviously placed in hidden corners. Pine trees were marked and prepared; wood for the fires was gathered. Ribbons and bells, candles and ornaments – Cair Paravel was looking quite festive after only a week. But Susan and her helpers weren't finished yet.

Invitations were sent out, baking began, and sewing commenced. Lucy helped out as much as she could by hanging garlands and placing ornaments with help from the Dryads and Animals. She and Susan began deciding what they would wear, and Lucy practised her archery skills with utmost diligence (she was hoping to compete in this year's archery competition). Everyday the beauty and majesty of Cair Paravel increased and everyday they became more and more excited. Everyday Christmas drew nearer.

Yet Lucy felt somehow apart from it all, like she was some distant observer. She was excited only because she knew she was expected to be; her heart, however, did not sing merrily within her. She did not dance and twirl in her home at night like she was known to do during celebratory times. After spending a day acting excited whilst helping to decorate, she would sit on her bed quietly and sigh. This was quite unlike her. Her heart yearned for something different, yet she herself did not know what it was that was missing.

This odd behaviour of Lucy's was passed by unnoticed. Occasionally one of the helpers might notice a still and serious expression on her face amidst all the joy and excitement that was in the air, but the next time they'd glance at her she'd be smiling and laughing along with everyone else. So the moments of quiet, sad reflection were forgotten.

Susan, whose motherly heart always alerted her to a change in feelings of those around her, was being bombarded by last-minute ideas for the celebrations. Peter and Edmund were away on diplomatic matters, and Lucy – who always put others before herself – never even considered troubling one of her friends with the weight upon her heart. Especially since she herself could not even identify what this weight was.

And so, it passed by unnoticed.

It was a few days before Christmas when Peter and Edmund arrived home. They had left before the decorating had begun, so the change that had come over the place was very noticeable. Simply put, it was magnificent.

On their ride home they heard singing in the woods, took part in a snowball fight with young fawns, and volunteered to help a family of hedgehogs decorate the pine tree that overshadowed their home. A very pleasant journey in was – full of merry greetings and joyful friends. Then they saw home. Cair Paravel – the shining Jewel of the Eastern Sea.

During spring its gardens blossomed and new plants sprung forth from the warm earth; the Sea gave off a welcoming, salty smell and invited all to come and admire her beauty; and the night skies were clear, full of bright and shining stars.

During summer, Cair Paravel held a ripe, full beauty about herself. Fruit trees offered delicious treats, and the nights gave way to a brilliant sunrise – the most stunning in all the known world. And the Sea – our lovely Sea! – admiring her was no longer an option, nay, the desire to jump into her was too great for idle fancying. The summers were passed by swimming in the coves and dancing on the beaches.

Then came fall: golden and red. The mushrooms sprang forth, and the Sea slapped you with such an intensely brisk bite that you knew winter was near.

All of this is to help you understand the gravity of the statement: never had they seen their home look so beautiful as it did that day they returned.

Perhaps that's because they had just spent several weeks in Calormen trying to maintain a peaceful relationship with the Tisroc (who shall not live forever, thank Aslan), which is a very exhausting and draining business. But more likely, it was because she really was most beautiful this time of year.

Snow covered the gardens, some minds may imagine that description to be beautiful. After all, white snow upon the ground is a lovely sight, is it not? But you must understand the Narnians mind at this time. They just lived through a hundred years of snow and ice! Maybe the snow is not ugly, but it is certainly inferior to gardens of pinks and blues and lavenders. And so snow – dull and dreary – covered the gardens, the trees were bare, and no one had any desire to get into the Sea, for she was bitter cold (although still very beautiful). Of course, no one will deny that moonlight upon the snow at night is a breathtaking sight, but Peter and Edmund did not arrive home in the middle of the night. Rather, they arrived in the day, and all things considered, it probably would have been a little dull (compared to other seasons, that is).

But nay, beauty hadn't yet abandoned the Jewel of the Sea.

"Susan's really outdone herself this year, hasn't she?" Edmund murmured to Peter. Peter could only nod and stare in wonder.

Red ribbons laced the trees of the main pathways to Cair Paravel, and silver glimmered in the bushes. Even an occasional pine tree was seen to be decorated in traditional Narnian fashion. This included candles that were lit at night (this was not Susan's idea, but at least the night critters promised to keep an eye on them), and simple ornaments made from nuts (Squirrels were astoundingly talented at gnawing them into charming little shapes). Red and gold ribbons wrapped around them, and gemstones could be seen to be glimmering in the branches.

As they drew nearer to the castle, they saw snowmen (and snowanimals) filled the courtyards, garlands lined the balconies, and ribbons illuminated the walls. Bells were on the gates, and the doors, and holly berries brightened the pillars. It is impossible to fully describe the beauty and majesty of such splendid traditions which the Narnians have, nor the dazzling affect it has when compared to the dreary cold outside. The inside was equally as magnificent (if not more so) with roaring fires and the delicious smell of holiday baking complete with chandeliers, crystals, and delicately carved wooden ornaments, among many other things. But all of this was nothing compared to seeing their sisters again.

They were in the library trying to decide whether or not it was a good idea to put garlands on the bookshelves.

"I say not, m'lady," a Badger was saying when Peter and Edmund walked in, "you see, despite how thoroughly we clean them, there's still a good chance that bugs are in them. And risking a bug infestation in our library is unwise in my opinion." Mr. Figg, the librarian, stiffened visibly at the idea.

Susan was standing thoughtfully during this discussion while Lucy stood away from the others with a distant look in her eyes. Susan ended up deciding against garlands, and instead had mint placed everywhere. Someone questioned whether mint was an actual "Christmas plant" at which point Mr. Figg (the mint was his idea) flew into a long description about how mint counted as a Christmas decoration. His entire argument boiled down to the fact that mint was green, green was a Christmas colour, and therefore it counted.

While this was going on Lucy spotted the newly arrived Kings; the distant look vanished in a heartbeat and was replaced by genuine joy. Glad and joyous was that night in Cair Paravel, for she had been missing her Kings. Edmund – the ever observant – however, had seen the look on Lucy's face and did not forget so easily as some did. Partly because he was able to figure out what laid on her heart sooner than any others could. He talked with her, listened to her, and spent time helping her the next two days, and by the time Christmas arrived, he knew exactly what to do. He brought Peter and Susan into the idea, and got Mr. Tumnus's help.

The Narnian Christmas celebration began. The chandeliers were lit, and the room was filled with music and dancers in gorgeous array. Lucy was asked to dance a few times, but mostly she stood away from the crowd and watched. Edmund came up to her and held out his arm which she took. Quietly and almost unnoticed he led her out of the ballroom and began descending stairs.

"Where are we going? Isn't everyone going to miss us?" Lucy asked.

"We'll be back soon." Edmund reassured her.

"But –" and she stopped when they entered into a room and just looked around. Peter, Susan, and Mr. Tumnus were waiting for them, and they were sitting in a very plain room with strikingly modest décor. And there was revealed the reason for Lucy's sadness. "What is this?" Lucy was breathless as emotions filled her up.

"A Christmas present." Edmund replied, they sat down and began celebrating amongst themselves. Not with grand balls and magnificent decorations, nor with hundreds of people and Animals gathered around. But just with family (Mr. Tumnus counts as family to Lucy). Those grand and absolutely astounding things that come with Royal celebrations are nice in their own way, and are full of love and joy and merry greetings. But here was family with simple gifts and friendly conversation. They talked about things that had happened that year, they joked and teased, and – most of all – they sat back and were themselves. Not King or a Queen with a kingdom to rule and people to govern, but sisters and brothers who loved one another.

Lucy's heart was warmed and snuggled, and she thanked Aslan for giving them such peaceful times together.


End file.
